Sheet metal container



July 14, 1942. w.` w. HODGsoN SHEET METAL CONTAINER Filed May 22, 1940 Patented July 14, 1942 SHEET METAL CONTAINER William W. Hodgson, Chicago, Ill., assignorto Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 22, 1940, Serial No. 336,639

Claims. (Cl. 220-54) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in sheet metal containers, and more particularly to improvements in a sheet metal container which is adapted to be hermetically sealed and which includes a rip or tearing strip for permitting easy opening of the container.

Accordingto the present invention, there is provided a sheet metal container wherein the cover is connected to the body portion in such a manner that it may be hingedly opened after removal of the tearing strip to permit easy access to the container. Thus, the cover can be employed as a reclosure to frictionally close the container after the original hermetic seal has been broken. More specically, the invention contemplates the provision of such a container wherein the body wall is folded upon itself to form an integral reinforcing band around the top end thereof. This reinforcing band includes a plurality of layers of metal formed integral with the body portion and folded upon each other. Preferably, there are three folded layers of metal and the free edge of the outer layer is secured to the cover by a conventional double seaming operation.

With a container of the above type, it is customary to secure the edges of the body wall throughout the major portion thereof byY means of a lock seam. However, the edges of the body wall in the region of the reinforcing band are preferably secured together by a solder-bonded lap seam. The rip or tearing strip extends from one edge of thc lap seam around the container to a point spaced from the lap seam so that a part of the outer folded layer remains after the tearing strip is removed. This remaining portion of the outer folded layer provides an integral hinge for connecting the cover to the body portion and a part of this hinge is secured by the solder bond of the lap seam. Thus, the hinge is restricted by the solder bond so that the metal will .bend abruptly and substantially in line with the top of the solder bond when the cover is hingedly opened.

An object ofthe present invention is to provide a container of the above typewhich is constructed and arranged so as to provide a free hinge connection between the cover and the body portion, thus tending to prevent breaking of the hinge and tending to prolong the life of the hinge.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type wherein initial hinging movement of the cover serves to sever the metal in the solder-bonded area of the lap seam so as to shift the hinge connection to a region outside of the solder-bonded area whereby to provide a free hinge connection between the cover and' the body portion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type wherein the integral hinge portion remaining after the strip is removed, is scored or weakened in the solder- .bonded area so as to provide a free hinge connection between the cover and the body portion disposed outside of the solder-bonded area of the lap seam.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type wherein the scored or weakened portion extends across the top of the solder-bonded area of the lap seam and then downwardly to a point remote from the cover and disposed outside of the solder-bonded area so as to provide a free hinge connection between the body portion and the cover, this hinge connection being entirely free from the solder bond of the lap seam.

The invention still further aims to provide a container of the above type which is of simple construction and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the container with the cover secured thereto and showing the score lines which form the rip or tearing strip.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, similar to Fig. 1, but showing the container with the rip strip removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and showing the tearing strip partially removed in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a similar enlarged sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and showing, in dotted lines, the position of the cover when initially opened relative to the container after the tearing strip is removed.

Fig. 5 is a similar enlarged sectional view, taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, but showing the position of the cover when hingedly opened and connected to the body portion by the free hinge connection.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of a modified form of container wherein the body Wall of the container and the cover are provided with intertting means for maintaining the cover properly seated when employed as a reclosure.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the container includes a body portion I which may be of any suitable shape, although preferably cylindrical. This body portion is provided with the usual bottom end (not shown) which may be secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by a double seaming operation. As particularly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the metal blank from which the body portion I is formed is folded downwardly and upwardly upon itself to provide an outer reinforcing band around the top end of the body portion. The downwardly folded portion provides an inner or intermediate layer or folded portion II, and the upwardly folded portion forms an outer layer or folded portion I2. The upwardly extending free edge I3 of the outer folded layer I2 is adapted to be secured to the free edge I4 of a cover I5 by a conventional double seam I6.

The cover I5 is provided with a central depressed portion Il which is disposed below the top edge of the double seam I4. Around the outer edge of the depressed portion I5, the metal of the cover is shaped to provide an annular depressed channel I8. This channel is defined by inner and outer substantially vertical wall portions IS, 26 respectively, and the outer wall portion is adapted to frictionally fit against the inner surface of the body wall Ill around the top thereof. Thus, the vertical outer wall portion I8 serves as a frictional closure in a manner to be hereinafter more fully pointed out. The outer wall portion 26 is directed outwardly, as at 2I, above the top of the body wall I6, and this outwardly directed portion 2| then extends ul)- wardly and merges into the edge Iii of the cover which forms a part of the double seam I E.

The vertical edges of the body wall of the container are preferably joined by an interlocking side seam 22 throughout the major portion thereof. l-Iowevery within the area of the reinforcing layers around the top of the body portion, there is preferably provided a lapped side seam 23, and a solder bond S is employed between the lapping surfaces. This solder bond S is disposed between the adjacent surfaces of the outer folded layer I2 and the inner folded layer I I, as particularly shown in Fig, 4.

Upper and lower score lines 24, 24a, respectively, are provided around the exposed surface of the outer folded layer I2, and these score lines extend from the lapped side seam 23 partially around the container to a point where they are joined, as at 25. rIhe joining point 25 of the score lines is spaced from the lapped side seam 23 so that an integral portion 26 of the outer folded layer I2 remains between the ends of the score lines. Thus, the score lines define a rip or tearing strip 2 which is provided with a tab-portion 23 extending laterally of the lap seam 23 toward the point 25. When it is desired to break the hermetic seal and to rst open the sealed container, it is merely necessary to employ a suitable form of opening key which is adapted to engage the tab portion 28 on the rip strip 21 so that the entire rip strip can be removed. When this rip strip has thus been removed, there remains the integral portion 26 of the outer folded layer I2 (Fig. 2), and this portion 26 joins the body wall of the container to the cover I5 by means ofthe double seam I6. The cover may then be hingedly opened relative to the container, as shown in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the solder bond S of the lap seam 23 maintains the hinge portion 26 secured to the adjacent surface of the inner layer II in the region of the solder bond. Therefore, when the cover is hingedly opened and closed relative to the container, the hinge connection will be restricted and will bend abruptly at the top of the solder bond so that free movement of the hinge portion 26 is prevented. This tendency of the cover to bend abruptly along the top of the solder bond beneath the double seam also causes this abrupt folding line to continue across the remaining upper portion of the hinge connection 26. Repeated opening and closing of' the container by a hinge connection of this type results in a rather rapid breaking of the metal along a line following the top of the solder bond. Thus, this rapid breaking of the hinge connection will result in the cover becoming severed from the body portion.

In order to increase the life of the hinge connection and prevent breaking thereof, the hinge portion 26 of the outer folded layer I2 is provided with a substantially horizontal score line 29 disposed adjacent the lower edge of the double seam and extending from the edge of the lap seam 23 slightly above the upper score line 24 toward the center of the hinge portion 26. Where the scored or weakened line 29 extends outside of the solder-bonded area of the lap seam, it is directed downwardly, as at 36, to a point 3l which is disposed below the bottom score line 22a, and this point 3l is also disposed outside of the solder-bonded area of the lap seam. With this construction, initial opening and closing movement of the cover relative to the body portion will result in the cover hinging along a line including the score line 29, as shown in Fig. 4. A few turns of the cover about this hinge connection will cause a rapid breaking of the metal along the score line 26, and continued movement of the cover will cause breaking of the score line 30 down to the point 3| which, as indicated above, is disposed outside of the solderbonded area for the lap seam. When these score lines on the hinge portion 26 are severed, the cover will tend to hinge about the remaining portion 26a of the hinge, as shown in Fig. 5. This hinge portion 26a provides a free hinge connection between the cover and the body portion and one which is not restricted by any solder bond and which does not bend abruptly. Thus, the score lines 29, 30 on the original hinge portion 26 serve to effect a shifting of the hinge connection for the cover from a restricted area, that is, the solder-bonded area, to an unrestricted area. Since the ultimate free hinge connection 26a is not connected by the solder bond to the inner folded layer II, a relatively gradual curve of this hinge portion 26a is permitted during opening and closing of the cover. Such a construction, that is, the shifting of the hinge connection from a restricted area to a free hinging area, prevents the hinge connection from rapidly breaking and thus adds to the life of the container.

In Fig. 6, there is shown a modified form of container which is specifically described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 323,993, filed March 14, 1940. In this type of container, the free edge Ita of the outer folded layer I2a is secured to the cover I5a by a conventional double seam ISa, as described above. The upper end of the inner folded layer Ila and the top of the body wall Ia. are directed inwardly to provide an inwardly extending shoulder 32. The cover Ia is constructed with an inner depending wall portion 33 which is provided with outward projections 3d. These outward projections are adapted to snap beneath the shoulder 32 provided around the top of the body wall. This type of construction affords a means for effectively holding the cover in a seated position on the body wall when the cover is employed as a reclosure. It is obvious that the hinge construction of the instant application can be advantageously employed with this type of container.

In the foregoing description, certain specific details of the invention have been pointed out, but it is to be clearly understood that various minor changes in the details of construction and arrangements of part may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. A container comprising a body portion having around one end thereof an integral reinforcing band consisting of a plurality of layers formed integral with one another and with the body portion, a cover secured to the free edge of the outer layer, the edges of the body portion being secured together at least in the region of said reinforcing band by a solder-bonded lap seam, score lines extending from one edge of the lap seam partially around the said outer layer and forming therebetween a rip strip adapted to be removed for opening the container, the portion of this outer layer remaining between the ends of the removed rip strip serving as an initial integral hinge connection between the cover and the body portion, and a weakened line on the hinge connection and extending from the said one edge of the lap seam laterally beyond the solder-bonded lap seam and severable upon initial hinging movement of the cover for effecting final bending of the hinge connection in an unrestricted area disposed outside of the solderbonded lap seam whereby to provide a free hinge connection between the cover and the body portion.

2. A container comprising a body portion having around one end thereof an integral reinforcing band consisting of a plurality of layers formed integral with one another and with the body portion, a cover secured to the free edge of the outer layer, the edges of the body portion being secured together at least in the region of said reinforcing band by a solder-bonded lap seam, upper andlower score lines extending from one edge of the lap seam partially around the said outer layer and forming therebetween a rip strip adapted to be removed for opening the container, the portion of this outer layer remaining between the ends of the removed rip strip serving as an initial integral hinge connection between the cover and the body portion and secured in part to the inner layer by the solder bond, and a weakened line on the hinge connection extending from the edge of the lap seam across the solder-bonded area substantially in line with the upper score line and downwardly outside of the solder-bonded area to a point substantially in line with the lower score line and said weakened line being adapted to be severed during initial hinging movement of the cover for positioning the ultimate hinge connection at one side of the solder-bonded lap seam in an unrestricted area whereby to provide a free hinge connection between the cover and the body portion.

3. A container comprising a body portion having the edges thereof secured together by a soldei` bonded side seam, a cover secured to said body portion, score lines extending from the side seam partially around the body portion and forming therebetween a rip strip adapted to be removed for opening the container, the metal of the body portion remaining between the ends of the removed rip strip serving as an integral hinge member connecting the cover to the body portion, and a weakened line extending laterally across and to one side of the side seam and downwardly on the hinge member and adapted to be severed upon initial hinging movement of the cover for effecting bending of the hinge member along a gradual curve at one side of the side seam whereby to provide a free hinge connection between the cover and the body portion.

4. A container comprising a body portion with the edges secured by a side seam and having around one end thereof an integral reinforcing band consisting of a plurality of layers formed integral with one another and with the body portion and with the outer layer secured to the adjacent inner layer by a solder bond in the region of the side seam, a cover secured to the free edge of the outer layer, upper and lower score lines extending from the side seam partially around the outer layer and forming therebetween a rip strip adapted to be removed for opening the container, the portion of the outer layer remaining between the ends of the removed rip strip serving as an integral hinge connection between the cover and the body portion, and a weakened line on the hinge connection adjacent the solder bond and extending downwardly from the upper score line toward the lower score line and adapted to be severed for shifting and effecting ultimate bending of the hinge connection along a gradual curve whereby to prevent abrupt bending of the hinge connection.

5. A container comprising a body portion having the edges joined by a side seam, a bottom end secured to the top of said body portion, upper and lower score lines extending from the side seam partially around the body portion and forming therebetween a rip strip adapted to be removed for opening the container with the metal remaining between the ends of the rip strip forming an initial hinge connection between the cover and the body portion substantially at the upper score line, a cover secured to said body portion immediately above the upper score line, and a weakened line on the hinge connection extending downwardly from the upper score line toward the lower score line and adapted to be severed upon initial hinging movement of the cover for effecting ultimate bending of the hinge connection near the lower score line along a gradual curve and at one side of the side seam whereby to prolong the life of the hinge connection by preventing abrupt bending thereof.

WILLIAM W. HODGSON. 

